Peewee Football Finding Its Way

Molokai peewee football teams are well on their way to playing under the Pop-Warner league in Maui. The league missed its chances to play the 2010 season.

For the past few years, Molokai has played in the Oahu league. However, due to low turnout and funding, the hopes of playing against Oahu during the 2010 season quickly dwindled. It costs about $14,000  to send two teams to Oahu each weekend, not including food and housing.

Some players signed up for this season last March, but many waited as late as August to come out. By then, Molokai’s league president, Carl Brito had already confessed to the Oahu league that there might not be enough players. The Oahu teams de-committed shortly after.

Oahu and Molokai peewee teams competed from 2007-2009. Brito said fund shortages began last season.

After attending meetings last year on Oahu, he said residents there expressed their excitement to bring their kids to Molokai to play football.

“They were fighting. They were saying like, ‘Hey, I wanna go!’ ‘No, I wanna go!” Brito said.

Still, keiki spirits are high and Brito said there is a good chance Molokai will be sending two teams to Maui to play under the Pop-Warner league.

Molokai previously played in the Pop-Warner league, in 2003. That ended in 2006 due to an alleged missed meeting by Brito. It was a violation of league play and since then, Molokai has not played in the Maui league.

The 2011 Molokai teams are planned to be led by head coach Henry Lindo and assistant coach Taylor Kaawa.

“People always asked me what makes our kids so versatile, and I say it must be all the country living – swimming, fishing, diving and walking around barefoot,” Brito said. They expect to begin play again next fall.